Recently
W. Cecil Steward, dean emeritus of the UNL College of Architecture (Lincoln,
Nebraska) launched what can only be described as a diatribe against
a talk I gave recently in Lincoln. My topic was Sustainable Development
and how it is transforming out nation. In his article, Mr. Steward,
rather than provide any substance on the issue, prefers instead, to
use words designed to paint me as an extremist playing on people’s
fear.

Specifically,
Mr. Steward accuses me of misrepresenting Lincoln’s local Comprehensive
Development Plan, and it’s imposition of Sustainable Development
as a “cover for a United Nations based international conspiracy…”
I have worked on this issue for more than eighteen years and have routinely
experienced similar attacks against my message and my character in cities
where I have appeared. For some reason those working to enforce Sustainable
Development policies scramble to discredit me and blow a well orchestrated
smokescreen to cover their work. Apparently honest debate and disagreement
are not part of their plans.

But
debate and discussion is the traditional American way. I’ll present
my case point by point. First, there is a very clear connection between
the United Nations and local Lincoln comprehensive development plans.
The very term “Sustainable Development” first appeared in
a 1987 report entitled “Our Common Future,” produced by
the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development.
The term was first offered as official UN Policy in 1992 at the Earth
Summit in a document that is today simply referred to as Agenda 21.
IN their own words here is what proponents of Agenda 21 said it is:
“Agenda 21 proposes an array of actions which are intended to
be implemented by EVERY person on Earth…it calls for specific
changes in the activities if ALL people…Effective execution of
Agenda 21 will REQUIRE a profound reorientation of ALL humans, unlike
anything the world has ever experienced…” Agenda 21: The
Earth Summit Strategy to Save Our Planet (Earthpress, 1992).

At
that Earth Summit, President George H.W. Bush signed American acceptance
of the Agenda 21 plan. The next year, in compliance with Agenda 21,
President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 12858 establishing the
“President’s Council on Sustainable Development” in
order to “harmonize” US development policy with UN policy
as outlined in Agenda 21. The Executive Order directed all agencies
of the Federal Government to work with state and local community governments
in a joint effort to “reinvent” government using the guidelines
outlined in Agenda 21.

What
are these guidelines and policies, and do you see them today in Lincoln?
Agenda 21 calls for reduction in energy use; reduction in water use;
enforcement of alternative energy use, specifically wind and solar;
controls over development, specifically the creation of mixed use neighborhoods
that contain high-density housing units (high rise or extremely small
lots) along with office space, stores and open space that will eliminate
the use of cars; development of public transportation and high speed,
light rail trains; etc. All of these policies are based on the scare
tactic that man is creating global warming, a charge that is now in
great disrepute throughout the world. Yet, proponents continue to press
these policies. Literally everything related to sustainable policy leads
to higher prices, shortages of goods and calls from planners for sacrifice
by citizens.

In
Lincoln, literally all of these Agenda 21 guidelines can now be found.
Lincoln has “smart-growth” policies that enforce high-density
housing with a mix of commercial and residential properties, bike-friendly
streets, and walking space. The goal is to eliminate the use of cars
as much as possible. Residents are instead encouraged to walk and ride
bikes to work and shopping. Electric companies are now installing smart
meters which take away homeowner control of electric use. Energy audits
are being conducted to determine the energy efficiency of homes. If
Lincoln follows suit of other cities that are using this practice to
set energy reduction goals, then soon city government will set strict
standards for energy use. Homeowners will have to spend thousands of
dollars to comply. Non-compliance will bring fines. To enforce alternative
energy schemes, there are plans to force homeowners to cut back trees
in their yards in order to allow open access to solar panels on roofs.
And, of course, there is the very important policy to force drivers
to “share the road” with bikes – the “complete
street,” they call it. In short, Lincoln sustainable policies
match perfectly those outlined in Agenda 21. Coincidence?

The
bottom line is, city planners, and those like Mr. Steward, have set
themselves up as an elite force which believes it knows better how the
rest of us should live. They have “reinvented” Lincoln government
as top down control to enforce a life style on us, rooted in a one-size
fits all international policy called Agenda 21, on the excuse of a questionable
environmental risk called Global Warming. And they certainly don’t
want to be questioned by anyone as they do it.

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Well,
here are some very specific questions I would suggest every citizen
of Lincoln ask their planners who are busying themselves in your personal
lives: Ask them to name a single thing you can do on your private property
without their permission. Ask them what guarantees for protection of
private property rights they have included in their comprehensive plans.
And above all, ask them, especially Mr. Steward, how often they ride
their bikes to work.

Tom
DeWeese is one of the nation’s leading advocates of individual liberty,
free enterprise, private property rights, personal privacy, back-to-basics
education and American sovereignty and independence.

A
native of Ohio, he’s been a candidate for the Ohio Legislature,
served as editor of two newspapers, and has owned several businesses since
the age of 23. In 1989 Tom led the only privately-funded election-observation
team to the Panamanian elections. In 2006 Tom was invited to Cambridge
University to debate the issue of the United Nations before the Cambridge
Union, a 200 year old debating society. Today he serves as Founder and
President of the American Policy Center and editor of The DeWeese Report

For
40 years Tom DeWeese has been a businessman, grassroots activist, writer
and publisher. As such, he has always advocated a firm belief in man’s
need to keep moving forward while protecting our Constitutionally-guaranteed
rights.

In Lincoln,
literally all of these Agenda 21 guidelines can now be found. Lincoln
has “smart-growth” policies that enforce high-density housing
with a mix of commercial and residential properties, bike-friendly streets,
and walking space.